Suga: Japan May Secure Vaccines By September
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has indicated Japan is likely to receive enough doses of coronavirus vaccines from US pharmaceutical company Pfizer by September.
Suga asked Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla for additional vaccine supplies last week during his visit to Washington. The two men spoke by telephone.
Suga told reporters on Monday that he requested enough doses to vaccinate eligible people in Japan by September.
He said Bourla indicated that the company will quickly discuss the request.
Suga was also asked by reporters about the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in Osaka Prefecture, where coronavirus infections continue to spread.
The prime minister said the situation is being handled with an acute sense of crisis. He said the national and Osaka prefectural governments are doing their utmost to secure hospital beds.
Suga added that officials will continue to work together and deal with the pandemic.